Engine or the like



June 30, 1942; v. PALUMBO 8 ENGINE OR THE LIKE Filed 001;. 12, 1940 :sSheets-Sheet 1 FIG-1.

v INVENTOR. VINCENT PALUMBQ BY 83 aw \A M YQDW Y June 30, 1942. vPALUMBO 2,288,480

ENGINE OR THE LIKE Filed 0013. 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

June 30, 1942.

Filed Oct. 12, 1940 V. PALUMBO ENGINE OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE OR THE LIKEVincent Palumbo, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of one-fourth to John E.Bevingto'n, Cleveland,

Ohio

Applicationoctober 12, 1940, Serial No. 360,967

the invention is of broader application, as, -for example, to pumps,compressors, hydraulic transmission mechanisms, etc, of the typeaforesaid.

Among the more general objects of the invention are the provision ofanengine or the like of the above mentioned type that is highly efficient;that is well balanced and smooth running; that is compact and smallrelative to its power, and wherein friction and wear are minimized.

Another and very important object of the invention is to provide aninternal combustion engine of the type aforesaid that operates on thetwo-cycle principle and has a port arrangement that insures completescavenging, and, as

a consequence thereof, has greater efiiciency than is possible ofattainment in two-cycle engines of the more common varieties.

A further object is to provide, in an engine of the character abovedescribed, a fuel injector in association with mechanical means, de-

sirably a roughened part of the engine shaft, by

which the fuel is efiectively atomized and is thoroughly diflusedthroughout the working chamber.

Still further objects of the invention 'are to provide an internalcombustion engine that is especially suited to aviation in that it isrelativelylight and slender; and that is peculiarly adapted to combatplanes because of the fact that the engine shaft, on which the propellerwould be mounted, is straight and may be made tubular so that gun firemay be directed through the shaft.

Other objects, more limited in character than the foregoing, will appearas I proceed to describe the embodiments of the invention illustrated inthe accompanying drawings .wherein Fig. 1 represents-a side elevation ofan engine incorporating my improvements; Figs. 2 to 6 are transversesections through the engine taken on the respective section lines 2-2 toli6 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows associatedwith said lines, in the majority of instances parts beyond-the plane ofsection being omitted in order to avoid confusion; Fig. '7 is a centralhorizontal section through the engine on a scale considerably enlargedover that of the preceding views; and Fig. 8 is an elevational view,somewhatdiagrammatic, of a modification of the invention involving aplurality of working-chambers with a corresponding number of pairs ofpistons, etc., and that is especially suited for aviation purposes andmore particularly for use in combat'planes.

In Figs; 1 to '7 of the drawings, Idesignates generally, the mainstructure or housing of the engine which, in the present instance, is.cylindrical from end to .end, and .for a substantial distance in bothdirections lfromiits longitudinal center is formed'with a cooling jacket2 through which water or other cooling .fiuid ,may be (circulated, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

Disposed axiallyof the structure I is the engine shaft :5. Keyed .to oneend of the shaftis vafiy wheel [0, the same being shownas held upon theshaftby a'nut N that .is screwed onto thereduced' threaded end of theshaft. The hub of the fly wheel, and consequently the adjacent end ofthe shaft, is rotatably supported centrally of the correspondingendofthe structure lbyuan anti-friction bearing l5, the outer race of whichis held in the endof the structure by a ring ll, suitably fastenedthereto,

Keyed or otherwise secured to the end of the shaft 5 remote from theflywheel ltiis the hub of a gear 20 which, like that of the flywheel, isrotatably supported centrally within the adja-. cent end of thestructure I through an antifriction bearing 2|, the outer race of whichis heldwithin thestructure by aring 22. A grease retaining member 23,desirably in the .form of a relativelythin washer of suitable material,is clamped inplace adjacent the hearing?! by the :IinglZZ. Theigear 20is held .uponithe shaft by va nut 24, that is. screwed on .a reducedthreaded portionof the .shaft, and the nut and gearare .enclosed by acasing 25 which, :with the ring .22,.-are:s1.1itably fastened-to theendof thestruc- :ture I, said .casing being extended upwardlya substantialdistance above the structure, as

.shownin Figs. 1 and 3. Arranged alongside the upper portion of thecasing 25 (Fig. *1) is a magneto 28 shown as mounted upon standards 29that rise from and are integral with the engine structure I.

Disposed on the side of the casing 25 remote from the magneto is a dualpump unit 30 which may be of any approved rotarytype. It and the:magneto have driving connection "with the engine shaft through suitablegearing housed within the casing 25 and of which the previouslymentioned gear 20 is a part. One working part of the pump unit 39circulates fluid through a cooling system represented by conduits 3| andincluding, besides the jacket 2 of the engine structure, a radiator thatis indicated diagrammatically at 32; and the other working part of thepumping unit impels oil through a lubrieating system including conduits33 and a reservoir 34.

Operating in opposed relation to each other within the central,cylindrical portion of the engine structure I are pistons 35 (Fig. 7),and between them is what may be termed the working chamber 36. The endsof the pistons 35 remote from the working chamber are swiveled, throughsuitable connections involving anti-friction bearings 31, to cam membersdesignated generally by the numeral 46. These cam members are formedwith peripheral helical grooves 4| having reversely inclined reaches. Inother words, these are endless wave-like or sinuous grooves,

Each of the cam members 49 is splined to the engine shaft through aplurality of balls 45 that operate within grooves 46 of the shaft andgrooves 41 of the cam members 46. The halls, confined within saidgrooves against movement circumferentially of the cam member and shaft,insure freedom of movement of the cam member along the shaft. The outerends of the grooves 41 of the cam member are closed by a ring 48 that isheld in place by a bushing 49 which has a sliding fit on the shaft andoccupies, for a part of its length, a counterbore in the end of the cammember. Operating within the cylindrical end portions of the structure Iare compressor heads 59, each being swiveled to the near end of theadjacent cam member 49. The swivel connection is effected through amember 5| that is secured, by screws 52, to the end of the cam memberand has a central tubular boss that fits over the bushing 49 and extendsinto the counterbore of the cam member. Arranged in opposed relation tothe end of the cam member 49 is a flange 53 of the member 5|, anddisposed between these opposed parts are the inner portion of thecompressor head 56 and anti-friction bearings 54 on opposite sides ofsaid portion of the head. Pursuant to common practice the compressorheads 50 and the pistons 35 are equipped with piston rings 5|) and 35respectively; and similar rings 5 occupy grooves in the engine shaft forcontact with the lined hubs 56 of the pistons.

The end portions of the structure I wherein the heads 59 reciprocate maybe termed the compressor chambers 55, andatmospheric air is admittedthereto through annular series of ports 69 that surround the ends of thestructure I, the admission of air to said chambers being controlled byrotary valves 6| that are mounted on members '62 and, through saidmembers are fixed againstturning with respect to the engine shaft 5. Therotary valves, which are slightly conical, operate against similarlyshaped annuli 64 shown as having peripheral flanges that are clampedbetween internal shoulders 65 of the structure I and the outer races ofthe previously mentioned anti-friction bearings l5 and 2|. Theperipheral flanges of the annuli 64 have ports registering with andconstituting extensions of those designated 69 in the cylinder. Therotary valves 6| are urged against the annuli 64 by resilient rings 66that are compressed between the valve members and annular abutments 61that are mounted on the shaft. The rotary valves 65 have diametricallyopposed elliptical ports 66 that intermittently register with similarports 69 in the annuli 64, as will appear from Fig. 3 wherein one of thevalves is shown.

Immediately inwardly of the rotary valves 6!, the structure I isprovided with relatively narrow slot-like ports 16 (Fig. 6), and each ofthe ports 19 communicates, through a pipe or conduit II, with one of thesets of inlet ports 72 (Figs. 4 and 7 that are located at one extremeend of the working chamber 36. At the other extreme end of said chamber,the structure I is provided with exhaust ports 13 (Figs. 1, 5 and 7)shown as opening directly to the atmosphere, although it will beunderstood that exhaust pipes may be attached thereto if desired.

At its longitudinal center, the structure I is provided withdiametrically opposed threaded holes 15 and 16, in the former of whichis mounted a conventional spark plug l'l. This plug is a part of anelectrical ignition system of ordinary kind (not shown) and whichincludes, also, the usual make-and-break device with timing mechanismthat causes the circuit to be closed twice at the proper times duringeach rotation of the engine shaft. Communicating with the workingchamber through the other hole 16 is a fuel injector 36, shown as havinga threaded boss 8| that is screwed into said hole. The injector may beof any approved type. Fuel is conducted to the injector 89 through apipe 82 from a fuel pump 83 that is mounted on the casing 25 and isdriven by an extension 84 (Fig. 7) of the engine shaft. This pump, perse, is not a part of the present invention, although it may be explainedthat at each rotation of the engine shaft it delivers at regularintervals two charges of fuel to the injector. The pump 83 communicatesthrough a pipe 84 with a suitable source of fuel supply (not shown).

As Will be observed, the fuel injector 85 is disposed radially of theengine shaft and, as a consequence thereof, when the liquid fuel isprojected into the working chamber, it will strike said shaft. Theshaft, rotating at high speed, will effectively atomize the fuel andwhirl it outwardly and thoroughly diffuse it throughout the workingchamber; and to enhance this action, the portion of the engine shaftagainst which the fuel is projected, is knurled or roughened, asindicated at 85. The roughening or knurling of the shaft is preferablyeffected by cutting grooves or serrations into the shaft so that noparts will project beyond the cylindrical plane of the shaft andinterfere with the lined hubs of the pistons.

Projecting into the grooves 4| of the cam members 49 are thrust elements90, preferably frustoconical in shape and whose taper correspondsexactly with the inward convergence of the side walls of the grooves 4|.The thrust elements 99 are constituted of the tapered inner ends ofotherwise substantially cylindrical hollow members 9| that are rotatablysupported within thimbles 92 through roller bearings 93 and thrust ballbearings 94. The thimbles are threaded into radial bosses 95 of theengine structure I, and are adapted to be locked therein by jam nuts 96.The outer ends of the thimbles are equipped with wrench engagingportions or the like 97. From the construction described, it will beseen that the thimbles may be adjusted to obtain the proper engagementof the thrust elements within the grooves of the cam members,

and that they may be locked in any position by the nuts 96. Thus theparts may be adjusted to compensate for wear. The opposed thrust membersare in axial alignment and their common axis bisects the centrallongitudinal axis of the engine.

The engine may be supported in any approved manner by any suitablesupporting structure and is shown as incorporating brackets or standards98. A drive shaft 99 is shown as fastened to the flywheel III.

In considering the operation of the form of the invention thus fardescribed, and with reference particularly to Fig. 7, it may be assumedthat an explosion has just occurred in the working chamber 35 and that,as a result thereof, the pistons 35 have been driven to the outer endsof their strokes, uncovering the inlet ports 12 and the exhaust portsI3.

During this action, the linear movement of the pistons, through the cammembers 40 (by reason of the latters cooperation with the thrustelements 90), has been converted into rotary motion, and the rotarymotion of the cam members has been transmitted to the engine shaftthrough the balls 45. The compressor heads 50, having been impelledoutwardly by the cam members 40 to which they are swiveled, havecompressed the air that was trapped between them and the rotary valves6| within the compression chambers 63, and the instant the inlet portsI2 were uncovered by the adjacent piston 35, the compressed air rushedfrom the chambers 53 through the pipes or conduits 'II and inlet ports12 into the working chamber 35, expelling the burnt gases through theexhaust ports I3 which, it will be remembered, were uncovered by thenear piston simultaneously with the uncovering of ports I2. It is to benoted that the diameter of the compression chambers is somewhat greaterthan that of the working chamber. As a result thereof, a volume of freshair in excess of the capacity of the working chamber is delivered tosaid chamber at each outward stroke of the compressor heads and thisabsolutely insures the expulsion of all burnt gases, along with theexcess quantity of fresh air; and inasmuch as the inlet ports are at oneextreme end of the working chamber and the exhaust ports at the otherextreme end thereof, there can be no possibility of the occurrence of apocket in which residue of the previous expulsion remains, as in themore common varieties of two-cycle engines wherein both the inlet andthe exhaust ports are at the same end of the cylinder. Completescavenging is further assured by the very wide angle of the ports-thatis to say, the substantial distance they extend about the circumferenceof the working chamber.

Now, under the inertia of the flywheel II], the engine shaft continuesto rotate and, through the balls 45, rotates the cam members 40. By thelatters cooperation with the thrust elements 98, the cam members, andconsequently the pistons and compressor heads, are caused to move inwardalong the shaft, the pistons 55 compressing between them the fresh airin the working chamber. At the same time, by reason of the registrationof the ports 68 of valves III with ports 63 of the annuli 64,atmospheric air is drawn into the compression chambers 53 through theaforesaid ports and through the ports 60 that surround the ends of thestructure I. Just as soon as the inward travel of the pistons 35 closethe inlet ports I2 and exhaust ports I3, a 7

charge of fuel is shot into the working chamber by the injector to mixwith the volumeof air therein, the fuel being atomized and diffusedthroughout the body of air in the manner already described. At theproper instant, the mixture is ignited by the spark plug 11, resultingin an explosion that again drives the pistons to the outer end of theirstrokes. In the present embodiment, incorporating cam members having thekind of grooves shown, there is a complete rotation of the engine shaftfor every two successive explosions.

By virtue of the swivel connection hereinbefore described between thepistons 35, cam members 40 and compressor heads 50, the pistons andcompressor heads are relieved of all rotary motion beyond that whichoccurs through a tendency of the pistons and compressor heads to rotatewith the cam members and engine shaft, such action being caused by thefriction between these parts, Thus it will be seen that, by reason ofsaid swivel connections, the wear of the piston rings and chamber wallsis not only reduced to a minimum, but such wear as does occur will beuniform, due to the floating action, so to speak, of the pistons andcompressor heads. In other words, as the pistons and compressor headsreciprocate, they may passively rotate and thus avoid uneven wear of theparts.

The embodiment of the invention shown more or less diagrammatically inFig. 8, and wherein the parts corresponding to those of the previouslydescribed form are designated by the same reference numerals augmentedby the exponent (1., involves two working chambers and consequently twosets or pairs of opposed pistons 35 to which cam members W areconnected. The cam members of one set are stepped about the shaft withrespect to those of the other set which results in the pistons 35 of oneset being nearest each other while those of the other set are furthestfrom each other. It will be seen, therefore, that the working strokes ofthe two sets of pistons alternate, and as a consequence therefore, eachexplosion drives the engine shaft 5 a fourth rotation. Obviously, theworking units might be further multiplied and the cam members soarranged as to provide any desired number of power strokes to eachrotation of the engine shaft within practical limits.

In the present modification, the compression heads and chambers havebeen dispensed with and in lieu thereof an air compressor I00 isemployed for supplying compressed air for the working chambers. The aircompressor is shown as driven, through a pinion IIII, from a gear I02 onthe engine shaft 5 that is located adjacent the right hand end of thestructure I, as the parts are viewed in the drawings. The air isconducted from the compressor I00 through a conduit I05 to a reservoirI06 and thence, through conduits I01 and I08 to the inlet ports I2 ofthe two working chambers. Also driven by the gear I02, through a pinionH0, is a fuel pump III, which receives fuel from a suitable source (notshown) through a conduit H2 and delivers it alternately through conduitsH3 and M4 to the injectors 80.

As pointed out in the brief description of Fig. 8, the present form ofthe invention is especially adapted for use on aircraft, being compactand relatively slender and comparatively light of weight. For such use,the flywheel is replaced by a propeller H5; and when constructed for useon combat planes, the engine shaft 5 may be made tubular, as shown inthe drawings, so that a machine gun or the like, indicated in brokenlines at I26, may be so mounted as to fire through the engine shaft.

Having thus described my claim is:

1. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein the engine shaftis disposed axially of the cylinder, and pistons are reciprocable in thecylinder in opposed relation to each other and surround the shaft;members surrounding and splined to the shaft and arranged with thepistons between them, each of said members being swiveled to theadjacent end of the near piston so that said member and pistonreciprocate together but are capable of independent rotation, a housingenclosing the members, and interengaging means on the housing andmembers for effecting rotary motion therebetween during reciprocationsof the members.

2. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein the engine shaftis disposed axially of the cylinder, and pistons are reciprocable in thecylinder in opposed relation to each other and surround the shaft;members surrounding and splined to the shaft and arranged with saidpistons between them, a swivel connection including anti-frictionbearings between each member and the adjacent end of the near piston sothat the member reciprocates with the piston but is. capable of rotationindependently thereof, a housing enclosing the members, andinterengaging means on the housing and members for effecting rotarymotion therebetween during reciprocations of the members.

3. In an engine or the like, a shaft, a piston reciprocable on theshaft, the piston having an annular cavity that opens through one of itsends, a member reciprocable on the shaft and having a part extendinginto the cavity of the piston, an anti-friction bearing surrounding theextension of said member and constituents of which are connected,respectively, to the extension of the member and the surrounding portionof the peripheralwall of the piston, a housing surrounding the pistonandmember and including a cylinder wherein the piston operates, andinterengaging means on the housing and member for invention, what Ieffecting rotary motion therebetween during re- .ciprocations of themember.

4. In an engine or the like, a shaft having a series ofcircumferentially spaced. longitudinal grooves, a member surrounding theshaft and reciprocable therealong and having longitudinal groovesregistering with those of the shaft, balls occupyingsaid grooves andthrough which said member has driving connection with the shaft,thegrooves of said member opening through an end of the member, anelement applied to said end and serving to close said grooves andconstituting an extension ofthe member for the swivel connection of apiston-like element thereto, a housing surrounding said member, andinterengaging means on the housing and member for effecting rotarymotion therebetween during reciprocation of the member.

5. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein the engine shaftis disposed axially of the cylinder, and pistons are reciprocable in thecylinder in opposed relation to each other and surround the shaft;members surrounding the shaft and arranged with the pistons betweenthem, each member being swiveled to the adjacent end of the near pistonso that said member and piston reciprocate together but are capable ofindependent rotation, the shaft and each member having registeringlongitudinal grooves, balls within said grooves through which the memberhas driving connection with the shaft, a housing enclosing the members,and interengaging means on the housing and members for effecting rotarymotion therebetween during reciprocations of the members.

6. In an engine or the like, a shaft having a series ofcircumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves, a member surrounding andreciprocable on the shaft and having grooves registering with the formergrooves, balls rotatably fitting within said grooves and through whichdriving connection is effected between the member and shaft, said memberbeing counterbored at one end to the radial depth of the groovestherein, an element fitting within the counterbore of the member to forma closure for said grooves, a piston reciprocable on the shaft adjacentsaid member and to which the member is connected, a housing enclosingthe piston and member and a part of which constitutes a cylinder inwhich the piston operates, and interengaging means on the housing andmember for effecting rotary motion therebetween during reciprocations ofthe member.

7. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein the engine shaftis disposed axially of the cylinder, and the piston is reciprocable inthe cylinder and surrounds the shaft; a member surrounding the shaft andreciprocable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, said member beingswiveled to the adjacent end of the piston so that said member andpiston reciprocate together but are capable of independent rotation, ahousing enclosing the member, and interengaging means on the housing andmember for effecting rotary motion therebetween during reciprocations ofthe member.

VINCENT PALUMBO.

